Colleen Barney Bird

tOur precious mother, grandmother and great-grandmother Colleen Bird is now in the arms of her eternal companion Rodger Carlyle Bird. She died on Nov. 5, 2017, and will be missed.

Colleen Barney Bird

Colleen Bird was born to Elmer James and Lela Taylor Barney on Feb. 10, 1935, in Richfield, Sevier, Utah. She was the second child born to this family. She had an older brother, Elmer Jerold Barney.

Colleen married Rodger Carlyle Bird on Sept. 6, 1952. They were married at Salina, Utah, in the home of Carlyle and Erva Bird, Rodger’s parents. Rodger and Colleen were married for 65 years.

They lived in many places in Utah, Buena Vista, Colo., and Medicine Lodge, Kan.

Colleen’s greatest gifts were her children, and most of her life has been dedicated in caring for and loving them.

Colleen came to Lovell from Medicine Lodge, Kan., on Sept. 29, 2014, to live with daughter Patricia and husband Ray Messamer. She made many friends while she lived in Lovell. Colleen was an awesome person who never knew a stranger because she always made them her friends. She loved knick-knacks. Rodger always said that it would take a trailer just to move her knick-knacks. Now those knick-knacks have been distributed to family members. Her special stuffed animals were given to North Big Horn Hospital to be given to comfort children when they come there. Colleen had a very strong testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Colleen and Rodger were sealed in the Denver Colorado Temple on Dec. 1, 1990.

On Dec. 5, 2016, Ray and Tricia flew with Colleen to Staunton, Va., where she lived for 11 months with her daughter Mary Ann and her husband Dale Jensen. While there Colleen saw the ocean and had a front row seat at a professional wrestling match. Both were very memorable experiences for her. She died in a Virginia hospital of two massive heart attacks.

Visitation was held on Nov. 10, 2017, at Larrison Funeral Home, in Medicine Lodge. Graveside services were held on Nov. 11 at the Highland Cemetery in Medicine Lodge, with Scott Gordon, branch president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Pratt, Kan., officiating.